Born on December 20, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York, Charles Callias, also known as Charlie Callas, began his career in the entertainment industry by serving in the US Army in Germany during World War 2.
Originally a drummer, Callas played with renowned musicians such as Tommy Dorsey, Claude Thornhill, and Buddy Rich. However, his playful and mischievous nature often got him into trouble, causing his bandmates to suggest he pursue a career in comedy.
Callas's natural comedic talent soon took center stage, and he eventually gave up drumming for stand-up routines. He dropped a vowel from his legal name, Callias, when he made his television debut in 1963 on the "Hollywood Palace" variety show.
Throughout his career, Callas appeared on numerous television shows, including "The Merv Griffin Show," "The Andy Williams Show," "Flip Wilson," and "The Des O'Connor Variety Show." He also acted as co-host on "The Joey Bishop Show" and co-starred with Robert Wagner and Eddie Albert on the series "Switch" from 1975 to 1978.
Callas made over 50 appearances on "The Tonight Show" before his infamous incident with Johnny Carson in 1982, where he shoved Carson off his chair, leading to Carson's declaration that Callas would never appear on the show again.
In addition to his television appearances, Callas had a successful career in nightclubs, performing alongside Frank Sinatra and appearing at various hotels and resorts across the United States.
In recent years, Callas has made appearances on "Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular" (2007) and "Larry the Cable Guy's Star-Studded Christmas Extravaganza" (2008),where he delighted audiences with his trademark antics and exceptional comedic talents.
Callas was married to Eve Velac, who passed away in July 2010, and had two sons, Mark and Larry, and two grandsons.
